Moving parts come undone
by Mellise
Summary: Wherein Madara's scheme to orchestrate Rin's death doesn't go quite as planned. No one's really better off for it in the end. Crossposted on AO3 under username Melise.
1. Of things in disrepair- Gone astray

**Because I always thought a plan with that many moving parts was bound to go awry. In this instance, the Three Tails is a little more alert and has a little more self-preservation.**

**This scene is such a pivotal one in the series, and I've read so many great renditions of it. So, I thought it might be time for me to take a stab at my own. This story is also posted on AO3 under the username Melise. **

**Story/chapter titles based on lines from the poem "Insomnia" by Dana Gioia.**

* * *

Lightning chirps, _screams,_ as Kakashi charges towards the Kiri nin with the killing blow in hand. But it only takes a moment for the universe to prove to him that terrible circumstances are always capable of growing worse.

_Rin is standing in the way._ His mismatched eyes widen in horror, blood turning into ice in his veins as the cruel, inescapable reality of the situation sets in. Yet what happens next is something that no one, no one in the clearing had expected. Because in that split second before Kakashi reaches his teammate, a massive tidal wave of chakra _erupts_ from where Rin is standing.

From the outpour emerges a roaring colossal, turtle-like entity. A gray, barbed shell encases an enormous back, limbs, and the three tails that rise into the air. A single glowing yellow eye flashes with fury in an immense face framed by even more spikes. Oppressive, overwhelming chakra washes throughout the clearing. This _thing_ was the reason why Rin was so desperate to die here. This was the devastation she refused to set free in Konoha.

Though Kakashi has never seen such a creature before, it only takes a moment for his mind to make the connections and identify the creature as a tailed beast, the Three Tails to be exact. It only takes another second for several of the spikes covering the monster's front limbs to gore him through the chest and torso. The horned behemoth bounds over his head and into the surrounding forest, roaring thunderously. The Kiri nin scatter in an instant with their cries of panic fading into the night, their intended weapon having turned on them mercilessly.

When the dust clears, the two Konoha nin are the only ones left in the clearing. Kakashi is inexplicably still on his feet although barely. Likewise, Rin stands across from him, face pale and looking half dead as well.

It's Rin who breaks the silence first.

"Kakashi! I'm so sorry!" she cries, reaching out to him while tears fall down her face. Kakashi dimly registers that his arms have responded in kind, extending out to meet hers.

They somehow manage to cover the few steps between them, grasping hold of each other before their bodies give out and collapse together onto the stone. They hit the ground hard, both too weak to do much to soften the impact. Kakashi does manage to place his left hand on the side of Rin's face, preventing her head from bashing into the unforgiving surface.

Rin lands on her side with a gasp, her body facing Kakashi's. What little breath Kakashi had remaining in his lungs is knocked out of him when he lands on his back. Wincing in pain, he manages to tilt his head to the left so that he can keep Rin in his line of sight.

Kakashi examines his wounds out of the corner of his eye, taking stock of the damage. The torn shirt reveals four large gashes across his front, evidence of where the Three Tails all but impaled him on its spikes. Judging by the way the blood seeps from the wounds and saturates the stone underneath them, he doesn't have very long left. And neither does Rin, despite the visible absence of any outward injuries. A jinchūriki is not meant to survive a Tailed Beast ripping itself free from its seal.

Watching him, Rin lets out a sob.

"I'm so sorry," she repeats desolately, her head dropping down onto his open hand where it rests upon the ground. "It was just supposed to be me." More tears drip from her remorseful, heartbroken eyes as she gazes at their clasped hands in despair.

Kakashi stirs slightly against the fog of fatigue that has started to settle over him. Rin must be feeling a great deal of guilt, he realizes with a pang in his chest that has nothing to do with his injuries. She was put in a hopeless situation wherein her demise was an almost inevitable consequence of all the possible scenarios. Rin had picked what she must have felt to be the best choice, an option where Konoha was spared the wrath of an unleashed Tailed Beast and one where Kakashi himself stood a fair chance of surviving.

Only, it hadn't gone to plan. Kakashi won't be walking away from this now. And while the Three Tails did drive away the Kiri nin, who knows how long the creature will rampage or how many others might get caught in the crossfire?

Rin made a choice under a tremendous amount of pressure, and it's not her fault that events had unfolded in a less than ideal manner. And she certainly doesn't deserve to feel all the blame, to have misery be the last thing she knows. Kakashi failed to protect her in the end, but maybe, maybe he can do one last thing for her instead. If nothing else, he can try to make sure that Rin doesn't pass from this world in sorrow. Comforting others was never a strength of his, but, for her, he'll try.

He curls the fingers of his left hand around Rin's cheek, trying to brush away some of the grime that had settled there.

"It's okay, none of this is your fault," he finally responds. Although he's bleeding and dying alongside Rin, he still shudders at the thought of what could've transpired. Even if it was Rin's will, even if she only did it to protect the village, Kakashi doubts he would've been able to live with himself if he was the one to end her life. The agony would've been unbearable. He chokes down a cough, feeling the coppery taste of blood pooling at the back of his throat. "Besides, the two of us… we're both here."

Kakashi can feel himself relaxing as he speaks, as if the words intended to comfort Rin have managed to bring himself some solace as well. It's as if a heavy weight, one he's carried for the majority of his short life, is finally leaving him now. Maybe this is peace. He's not sure though, he doesn't think he's felt this way for a very long time.

Spurred on by this sudden feeling, he continues. "This just means we'll be seeing Obito sooner than we expected. I bet he'd like to be with his teammates again." Despite his hopeful sentiments, speaking is growing more and more difficult. He's fighting to keep from slurring his words as blood bubbles underneath his tongue.

Rin's eyes flicker in faint surprise before she replies. "You're, you're… right. We'll all be together again." Rin tightens her grip on his left forearm, her other hand still clasped in his left. She whispers "sorry, we're early Obito," and makes a sound as if she's trying to choke back a laugh.

Rin's eyes, still shining with tears, are no longer filled with anguish. She gives him a small smile and a tiny nod before closing her eyes, her body going still. Kakashi waits a moment and gently squeezes her hand. No response.

She's gone.

But the feeling of lightness doesn't leave him. There's no need to grieve, not when he'll be joining her very soon. Nevertheless, he still fights against a sudden bout of dizziness in order to keep both eyes open, or at least the left one, for as long as possible. Obito had wanted to see the future, so it seems right for Kakashi to give him as much as he can muster. Rin's waiting for him now, but she'll understand. Out of the three of them, she's always been the patient one.

Off in the distance, the Three Tail's echoing bellows are punctuated with screams that grow fainter and fainter.

Close by, Kakashi hears what he thinks might be footsteps, but swiftly dismisses the improbable notion. _No one else is here after all._ He chalks the errant thought to blood loss considering he's lost a significant amount of it by now. The pool of blood he's lying in has expanded considerably and is now soaking the ends of Rin's sleeves.

Something _(is that a hand?)_ enters his field of vision, obscuring his view of Rin and the night sky.

_"Kaka-!"_

His eyes drift shut.

* * *

**The main difference that occurred here was that the Three Tails gets a little irritated at being used as a weapon and decides to break free before his host can be killed. Kakashi is unfortunately too close to ground zero when this happens and is rewarded with a chest full of spikes for his troubles.**


	2. The terrible clarity- Obito

**Obito finds his teammates.**

* * *

Sharingan active and scanning for dangers, Obito sprints back to the clearing, running faster than he ever has in his life.

_I have to get to them. They have to be okay._

But he doesn't know what he'll find.

He was almost there before, barely managing to catch a glimpse of Kakashi and Rin when all hell broke loose. The situation already seemed dire, just as White Zetsu had warned. His two teammates were surrounded by the enemy, Rin standing motionless while lightning crackled around Kakashi.

Then, out of nowhere, an explosion of monstrous chakra had burst free from Rin, and from it arose a monster that could only be a Tailed Beast. It let out an ear-splitting bellow and charged forward, its three spiked tails thrashing in vicious fury. The Kiri nin wasted no time, abandoning their initial objective in order to disperse into the night. Although fleeing was the last thing Obito wanted to do after finally seeing his friends again, the only other alternative was getting crushed underfoot. Gritting his teeth together in dismay, he'd retreated alongside the Kiri nin in order to escape the Three Tails's wrath.

Thankfully, it didn't take him long to get out of the beast's direct path. A number of the Kiri nin were not nearly as fortunate if their desperate, panicked screams were any indication. Once the immediate danger of the enraged monster abated, Obito hightailed it back to the clearing at breakneck speed. Because he doesn't know what happened to Kakashi and Rin after the tailed beast emerged.

He's only been gone for minutes. But tragedies can unfold in far less time.

Obito prays to any higher power that might exist, that might be out there listening to him, that might be willing to take pity on him.

_Please let them be okay._

He smells the blood first.

Obito doesn't need to be a healer like Rin or have Kakashi's keen sense of smell in order to recognize the metallic stench for what it is. Dread settles into a pit in his stomach, and his footsteps slow involuntarily as the scene comes into view before him. He's too late.

Kakashi and Rin lay there on the stone unmoving, surrounded by a puddle of blood. Trying to ignore the hollow feeling overtaking him, Obito draws closer and discovers that the source of the blood is Kakashi. The blood oozes from the ugly puncture wounds in Kakashi's chest while Rin appears to be uninjured but lifeless. Their bodies are angled towards each other, Rin's left hand clutching Kakashi's right. The side of her head rests on Kakashi's left hand, her right hand grasping his arm. Together in the end.

Standing over them, his shaking hand reaches for Kakashi's face. He had intended to close Kakashi's half-open eyes, only to startle violently when his teammate blinked. _He's still alive!_

"Kakashi!" Obito immediately cries out. But he's still too late. He watches uselessly as the life fades from Kakashi's eyes, eyelids closing before Obito could even finish saying his name. _Rin. Kakashi._ The two people, the ones who meant the most to him, the friends that he had been fighting to reach ever since he woke up in that cave are gone.

His body shudders, and he screams, wordlessly, almost noiselessly. The emotions churning through his chest nearly choke him, like a vice grip closing on his throat, a weight crushing his lungs.

_Everything is red._

It's as if something within Obito breaks in that very moment, unleashing an ugliness, a viciousness, a madness, that he didn't even realize was buried inside of him. He wants to turn this excruciating feeling outwards, to punish the ones that took his loved ones away from him. He longs to slash through the bodies of his enemies, crush their bones to dust, tear the hearts from their chests, paint the stones with their blood, anything to make them feel even a fraction of the agony he's experiencing.

But there are no enemies here for him to slaughter. A number of the Kiri nin are already dead, struck down by the tailed beast. Those who are still alive must be miles away by now. Likewise, Obito can hear the Three Tails raging in the distance. He is the only one here now. Just him, alone. And with that realization, he is wrenched back into the unforgiving reality of this world. A world where the bodies of his precious friends lie before him.

He was never able to tell Rin that he loved her. And now that opportunity is gone forever.

Kind, sweet Rin will never smile at him again.

Kakashi, who was supposed to see the future with him, will never open his eyes again.

To Obito, it seems like a twisted joke for him to be the last one left. Why did you two go before me?

Chest still heaving from his outburst, he looks down at the two of them. Rin could be sleeping, her pale face serene. Despite the horrific wounds, Kakashi's masked face also displays a kind of tranquility, an expression that Obito never saw him wear in life. He aches to hold his dear friends for one last time. Still, another part of him wants to avoid disturbing them from where they rest. He eventually settles for placing his own hand gently on top of their cold clasped ones.

Obito had made Kakashi promise to protect Rin. Keeping her safe should've been a doable task. After all, Kakashi was going to be the best shinobi their generation had ever seen. But even the shinobi who became Konoha's youngest jōnin could only do so much when facing a colossal creature comprised purely of chakra. And Obito now knows that they are all playthings in the hands of a wretched, uncaring world.

Gentle, compassionate Rin had only wanted to heal and protect the ones she loved. The prodigious Kakashi had just begun to let his walls down and look past the pain he carried. Yet, the world had cut them down mercilessly.

_A world this cruel, this broken, cannot exist._

He won't accept this reality.

* * *

**Yeah, Obito's not doing well. In this scenario, Obito doesn't see Rin die. Instead, the combined shock of finding Rin dead, thinking Kakashi is dead, realizing Kakashi is alive, and watching Kakashi die in front of him is what unlocks his Mangekyo.**


	3. All that you've worked for- Minato

**Minato reflects on recent events.**

* * *

He is a failure, a complete and utter disappointment. Not as a shinobi though. Oh no, he's far too good at that actually. Minato Namikaze is well known as a genius and an exceptional shinobi. He's lauded as the Yellow Flash, the shinobi whose incredible speed allows him to single-handedly turn the tides of even the most impossible battles.

No, he's failed as a sensei, the role in which he was assigned to teach, guide, and protect the three children he took in as students. And up until recently, Minato considered himself to be a reasonably good sensei. As a shinobi, few could claim to be as skilled and experienced as he was. While other teachers favored tough love and trial by fire methods to impart knowledge, Minato felt that he could guide his students more effectively through consistent support and patience.

He knows now that kindness and encouragement mean nothing when you keep making the same mistakes over and over. Despite his accomplishments, despite the fact that he is a prominent candidate to be the next Hokage, Minato is a failure.

Because there is no other conclusion he can come to following the demise of his two remaining students.

After Kannabi Bridge, he grieved and told himself that deaths like Obito's were due to misfortune. They were simply an unavoidable consequence of war after all. He had no other choice but to split up and send Kakashi, Rin, and Obito off by themselves. Minato's role was essential then as he provided the much needed backup to the outnumbered Konoha nin.

_It's not your fault_ he told himself after only two of his students had returned, Rin mourning the loss of her friend and Kakashi bearing Obito's eye with a haunted expression. _These things happen during a time of war._

But there's war, and then there's outliving all three of his students. This was a truth he hadn't allowed himself to realize until the day he received notice that Kakashi and Rin's mission had gone very wrong.

The few reports Konoha had received were remarkable in that they were all unclear and sparse in detail. The main gist of it was that the Three Tails had gone on a rampage, a number of Kiri nin were dead, and there had been no form of communication from either Rin or Kakashi.

Though all three details were alarming, it was the last one that worried him the most.

Yes, his students were talented and capable shinobi, but all bets were off the second a tailed beast entered the picture.

Best case scenario, Kakashi and Rin had escaped the Three Tails's wrath, and it simply wasn't safe enough for them to send a message back to Konoha just yet. The worst case scenario... Well, Minato hadn't even wanted to entertain that possibility.

Either way, a team needed to be sent out to retrieve them. Minato had volunteered to join without any hesitation, despite the fact that he only just returned from another mission. Thankfully, the Hokage had taken pity on him and granted his request.

He had to know what happened to his students, and he didn't think he could stand waiting in Konoha for news. Anyway, his expertise in sealing could've proven useful in the event that they crossed paths with the Three Tails.

Accompanied by two jōnin he hadn't met before, Minato had set off in search of his missing students. The two shinobi, Keiji and Mako, dropped back readily, allowing him to lead as they moved forward in silence. Minato had been far too uneasy to engage in small talk, and the others thankfully followed suit.

They'd started investigating at the edge of the water, the place where it seemed that the tailed beast ended its rampage. Crushed trees, cracked earth, and the occasional dead body of a Kiri nin marked the path of destruction they followed. All the while, Minato scanned the vicinity for any sign of Rin and Kakashi or any place where they could've hidden.

Eventually, they began to approach what had seemed to be a clearing up ahead. Evidence suggested that it was the epicenter from which the Three Tails had emerged. Minato had just broken through the few tree branches obscuring his view when he felt the ground drop out from underneath him. Because it was that moment he saw it, Kakashi and Rin lying together in the middle, unmistakably dead.

Minato had somehow possessed the fortitude to continue forward, even though he actually wanted to collapse into a miserable heap on the ground.

Their bodies were curled towards each other, still holding hands. Rin had seemed unmarked while Kakashi looked as if he'd been impaled. It took very little time for Minato to put all the pieces together and realize how the events had likely unfolded.

Kiri must have turned Rin into a jinchūriki with some kind of modified seal, fully intending for her to return to Konoha. The tailed beast had broken through its seal instead, killing Kakashi. Then, the Three Tails turned on the Kiri nin who sought to use it as a weapon. Minato planned to examine Rin's seal later to confirm his suspicions, but he doubted that he was wrong.

"So tragic. They almost look like lovers," Keiji murmured.

Minato hadn't responded then, even though he considered two fatally wounded children comforting each other before death to be the true tragedy at hand.

Looking back, Minato is quite certain that the crushing sensation of seeing his last two students dead is the worst feeling he's experienced in his life. Although having to break Rin's and Kakashi's hands in order to separate them was an extremely close second. Their bodies had to be sealed into separate scrolls in order to transport them back to Konoha, and Mako had looked regretful at having to bring the issue up. Similarly, Keiji offered Minato the opportunity to leave the area while the two of them carried out the task instead. But Minato refused, telling them that he wanted to do this to bring his team closure. In actuality, it was more like self-induced punishment as he forced himself to face the consequences of all his mistakes.

Minato had only needed to guide his students. From the start, he knew that all three of them were destined for something great. Kakashi, already extraordinary, just needed more experience working with others in a team. Rin, a dedicated healer, could have become a truly exceptional medic in a few years' time. Obito, who possessed the determination to become Hokage, had yet to unlock his untapped potential.

They had all died so brutally.

Obito.

Finally awakening his Sharingan, only to find himself crushed slowly under the rocks and left behind in enemy territory.

Rin.

Forced to become a weapon that would rain destruction upon her home and perishing when the tailed beast tore itself free from her.

Kakashi.

Mortally wounded by the tailed beast sealed inside his teammate before finally bleeding out on the stone.

_Why wasn't I there for them?_

But it's far too late now. Now the three names on the Memorial Stone are all Minato has left of his dear students. He leaves flowers by the stone every month like clockwork. Each time, it feels as though he's helplessly pleading with them to accept his apologies.

_I'm sorry. Please forgive me._

* * *

**Minato's being very hard on himself here. Losing all of his students was an extremely difficult blow, so he's pretty much blaming himself for everything that's happened.**


	4. Water running in the dark- Kiri

**Kiri experiences a few aftereffects following the Three Tails's fury.**

* * *

After the Three Tails's rampage, it was as if the entire hidden village of Kiri was reeling in shock. Failed missions weren't shocking in and of themselves, but that particular mission had been an anomaly due to the absolute chaos it brought.

The nature of the mission itself had made it an unprecedented one. That a hidden village would forfeit its own tailed beast was inconceivable. Yet Kiri had been quite prepared to give up one of the entities that helped facilitate the balance of power between shinobi villages, all in the name of striking a devastating blow at an enemy village.

Although, one could argue that such a drastic decision seemed almost befitting of the village that had earned the nickname of Bloody Mist.

However, the mission was made even more exceptional by its failure. This was primarily due to the number of casualties it entailed for Kiri itself. The risks they took had backfired miserably as the second half of the mission had gone downhill at an alarming rate.

After the girl had been turned into a jinchūriki, the two Konoha nin were supposed to have been herded surreptitiously back to their own village where the Three Tails would emerge and unleash havoc. Instead, the tailed beast broke free far too soon and annihilated the Kiri nin in its path. The number of shinobi who had survived could be counted on one hand. To add insult to injury, Kiri still lost its vital asset as the Three Tails had disappeared into the ocean following its rampage.

The mission was intended to decimate Konoha and its forces. Instead, their enemies had only lost two shinobi. And now Kiri was the one that was desperately trying to fill the gaps in its ranks

After the initial commotion died down, a team was naturally sent out to recover the bodies of the two Konoha nin. After all, the kunoichi's corpse bore evidence of their scheme, and one of the very few survivors of the initial mission had sworn up and down that the other shinobi had possessed a single Sharingan. No one in Kiri was particularly enthusiastic about revisiting the site of such a dismal failure, but they recognized the necessity of retrieval. Hiding the proof of their failed plan and possibly gaining a famed dōjutsu was enough of a benefit.

That was before the first team had died under mysterious circumstances. Their bodies, found with brutally efficient stab wounds, were deposited quite deliberately outside the clearing where the Three Tails had initially broken free. But there was no sign of the one responsible. No traces of foreign blood, no stray hair, scrap of cloth, or even a footprint from an attacker. There was no sign that any of the Kiri nin had even fought back either. It was as if an enemy had appeared, killed the shinobi, moved the corpses, and disappeared without leaving behind any evidence. But what adversary could have caught three highly trained Kiri nin by surprise and dispatched them with so little effort?

Another team is sent out, and the very same thing happens to them. And the team after that. And the team after that one. At this point, Kiri wasn't so much trying to retrieve the corpses anymore (they would be far too decomposed if they were even there after all this time), but instead attempting to identify the enemy that kept effortlessly slaying its shinobi.

Neither objective was ever realized, and it wasn't long before Kiri nin began to regard the clearing as haunted ground.

No more missions were assigned to the area, and the people of Kiri began to form their own ideas in an attempt to explain the phenomenon.

Several claimed that the ghosts of the Konoha nin stalked the area in order to enact retribution against Kiri for bringing about their deaths.

More embellished on this theory, suggesting that the shinobi had transformed into yōkai due to their bodies remaining unburied after death. From there, they would lure the retrieval teams apart through the use of impossible noises and illusions. Once separated, the two yōkai would converge on each lone Kiri nin. One would possess the shinobi, forcing him to stand motionless as the other fiend fatally stabbed him.

Some claimed that it was the spirit of the forest itself, seeking revenge for the trampled woods.

Then the rumors began to grow wilder and spread out of control as rumors tend to do.

Several unexpected romantics in Kiri also develop their own explanation behind the unusual turn of events. They asserted that the Konoha shinobi were not children as was initially reported. Instead, they must have been adults, lovers to be exact. After the Three Tails had been sealed inside of the kunoichi, the two had realized that it was unlikely for them to survive the ordeal.

Thus, the kunoichi had struck a deal with the tailed beast. She would weaken the seal, offering the creature its freedom. In return, she requested for the Three Tails to slaughter all of their enemies. The shinobi had refused to escape and welcomed his death at the hands of the tailed beast, all so the two could save their village and die in each other's arms. When asked to explain the inexplicable deaths of the retrieval teams, proponents of this theory tended to shrug indifferently.

Others argued that the Konoha nin weren't really from Konoha after all, but shinobi from another hidden village who had gotten wind of Kiri's original plan. Traitors from within Kiri's hierarchy had leaked the strategy beforehand to enemies of the village. From there, their adversaries had intercepted the actual Konoha nin and taken their places. It had all been another village's high-risk ploy to try and bring an additional tailed beast under its control. Naturally, the daring plan had failed when containing the Three Tails had proved to be too challenging of a feat.

But the rumor that endures the longest is the one that tells of an intangible creature that guards the clearing, slaying all those that are foolish enough to trespass.

No one ever realizes just how true that one is.

* * *

**After such a calamitous event, especially one that involves a tailed beast, I figured there would be a lot of secrecy, misinformation, and rumors floating about in a hidden village.**

**It's also not helped by the fact that Obito does indeed lurk around the area where Rin and Kakashi died, killing the ones who get too close.**


	5. How many voices have escaped- Kushina

**Kushina contemplates the changes brought on by the end of the war.**

* * *

The Third Shinobi War is over now. There is peace between the Five Great Shinobi Counties. It is an uneasy and tentative peace, but it is peace all the same. There are no more battles, skirmishes, infiltrations, ambushes, or sabotage missions.

After all these years, peace feels strange, Kushina thinks. It's a peculiar, but not unwelcome sensation. When fighting in a war, there is an enemy to fight and a purpose to fill. War hangs over your head like a storm cloud, and it can become easy to acclimatize yourself to that reality.

While shinobi are always in service of the village, a treaty brings with it the opportunity to be something more than just a soldier, a chance to be human again.

The end of the war had also brought with it a new Hokage. Her husband, Minato Namikaze, has taken up the mantle of the Yondaime. He had been a strong candidate due to his instrumental role in the war, and the people of Konoha had seemed hopeful about his reign.

However, Kushina remembers how conflicted Minato had been when offered the position. He admitted to her later that he actually had refused the title outright, but the Sandaime convinced him to at least take a few days to consider. He eventually accepted the hat, but Kushina knew her husband well enough to recognize that he had only done so out of duty.

After all, there hadn't been an abundance of suitable candidates. Jiraiya had refused, citing that his skill set was best used for developing and managing information networks. And as much as the Sandaime valued his former student, he could not in good faith appoint an individual like Orochimaru to the role. Strength and cunning, while vital in a shinobi, were far from the only traits that were required for one to lead a hidden village.

"I don't deserve the responsibility," Minato had whispered to her several days after he agreed to take on the title. He continued, voice dejected and eyes troubled. "But this is what it's come to. I can only hope that I don't let the people of Konoha down." The war had taken its toll on Minato, his students' unfortunate deaths leaving him understandably shaken. He now questioned his abilities when there was only easy confidence before.

However, he had settled into his new role quite seamlessly. Kushina wasn't surprised in the slightest. She's never seen a shinobi more suited to lead. Minato is skilled and intelligent, but he never seeks to flaunt his strength. He is determined, but understanding and thoughtful where others might become obstinate. Despite the newfound insecurities, Kushina is certain that he will be a great Hokage.

So far, the shinobi of Konoha still seem to agree with her sentiment. There is a more relaxed atmosphere in the village, and Kushina doesn't think it's entirely due to the end of the war. People aren't just allowing themselves to think of the future, they're actually hoping that things can be better now. Likewise, Kushina has noticed that many of their peers were also taking advantage of the recent peace and using the opportunity to start their own families. Now that the war was over, it was safe to settle down with a partner. Couples were free to have and raise children without worrying about their little ones becoming cannon fodder in the ongoing feud between villages.

Back before they were even married, she and Minato had expressed their intentions to start a family of their own after the war. So, Kushina broaches the topic one evening after they've finished clearing up from dinner. It seemed like the right time to bring it up. The war was over now, and her husband had adjusted well into his new role as the Yondaime.

But there is only absolute silence in response to her query, and Kushina sees Minato freeze out of the corner of her eye. His hand, which had rested lightly on the table a second ago, is now holding onto the wooden surface with a white-knuckled grip.

Minato finally lets out a sound reminiscent of a choked sob. "I know we talked about this before, and this is what we had said we'd do, but… I can't, I'm so sorry. I know it's what you wanted. I just can't." He turns to face her, and there is nothing but panic in his expression.

In all the time she's known him, she doesn't think she's ever seen him this rattled. That includes when he had returned from the mission with Kakashi and Rin's bodies in tow, and he had looked as if a light had been snuffed out from inside of him. Now, he's looking at her with guilt and trepidation, as if he's certain that she'll be angry with him.

But Kushina remembers when her home village of Uzushiogakure was destroyed. She was still a young girl and had only recently come to live in Konoha when she received the news that her home was gone forever. The feelings of pain and loss had been bewildering then, not that the people around her had noticed. She'd camouflaged her grief with layers of aggression and loudmouthed behavior.

As a stranger in a new village, a small part of her wanted to automatically reject Konoha because it could never actually be her home. Her real home had been demolished, and she was never going to see it again. Another part of her worried that she would learn to love the new village and let the memories of her original home slip away.

And yet another part of her also feared that if she came to love Konoha as much as Uzushio, she might lose it as well.

She knows that the pain Minato feels now is of a similar kind. After the tragic deaths of Obito, Rin, and Kakashi, he's frightened of bringing a child into the world. The loss of his students is fresh in his mind, so he's terrified of making a mistake. Minato needs time to heal, and between the end of the war and becoming the next Hokage, he just hasn't had the opportunity yet.

So Kushina smiles at him gently, communicating that she understands before she swiftly changes the topic.

"You seemed a little tense lately. Is it the usual stresses of the job?"

Minato grabs hold of the new subject the way a drowning man treats a piece of driftwood in a storm.

"Actually, something's been brought to my attention." He still looks concerned, but at least not as desperate as before. "It's mainly little things that aren't quite adding up. Inconsistent records, rumors, missing files, missions assigned where there shouldn't have been any. On its own, I wouldn't be too worried. But when you combine it all together, it makes me think that I might have inherited some underlying issues along with the new title."

Watching her husband intently, Kushina can see the mental debate going on in his head as he decides whether or not to tell her more.

Nevertheless, he continues. "There's something else. I've received reports, ones that seem a little too unusual to be mere fabrications. The informants claim that Danzō went to Amekagure during the war. Supposedly, he had dealings with Ame's leader, Hanzō. If this is true, then all current evidence suggests that the entire outing was unauthorized. I couldn't find anything indicating it was a legitimate mission."

Kushina connects the dots swiftly. "You think he also has something to do with the little irregularities you also mentioned. And if he's behind that, then Konoha may be dealing with an elder who not only is acting outside of the village's interests, but also has the power to try and conceal his involvement."

Minato sighs wearily before responding. "Yes, that's the gist of it. It normally wouldn't be a good idea for me to tell you confidential information like this, but your backing may very well be vital depending on how all of this unfolds. For now, much more investigation is required."

This takes Kushina by surprise. If the situation is serious enough to warrant her support as Konoha's jinchūriki, then it's an issue that's likely to involve all of the clan heads and the rest of the village's higher-ups as well. And if she's right, then it seems like the action Minato is considering is far more drastic than putting Danzō before a disciplinary hearing or even sacking him. Then again, depending on which rumors turn out to be true, Danzō may very well be guilty of treason.

"Because of this," he continues as he gazes out the darkened window, "I think it's time to send word to my old sensei."

"So it's that serious then. You're calling in Jiraiya?" she asks, although she knows that there's no one else he could be referring to.

Minato nods grimly in response.

Considering the recent slew of information, Kushina realizes that their problems are far from over. Although there's little in the way of hard facts at the moment, she has a feeling that the events to come will have far-reaching effects. It could very well shake the foundation of Konoha to its core.

She just hopes that Konoha can remain standing through it all.

* * *

**Kushina is drawing from her own experiences and recognizes that Minato is still going through a lot here. Because of this, there are no immediate plans for a child. **

**Also, Danzō's shadiness has been brought to Minato's attention now. Which means that the fun stuff is in store. That's right. Politics. **


	6. What the house has to say- Jiraiya

**After returning to Konoha, Jiraiya looks for places to dig up dirt**

* * *

Jiraiya had left Konoha shortly after the end of the war, only remaining long enough to refuse the position of Hokage. After returning at the Yondaime's request, he is struck by the differences he observes in his old student. During the war, Minato was still able to hold on to his hopeful convictions even when immersed in the chaos and carnage of the battlefield. However, the last time Jiraiya saw him, Minato was still mourning the deaths of his three students.

Now, there is a steel edge in his former student's voice, one that has been forged by loss and regret. This change is very much apparent at the next council meeting that Jiraiya decides to sit in on.

After a terse opening, Minato had proceeded with a veritable laundry list of reforms, the first being the most controversial by far.

"I am setting a minimum graduation age. Academy students are not to become genin until they have reached the age of twelve at the very least."

Jiraiya has just enough time to brace himself before the figurative floodgates burst.

"Hokage-sama! You can't possibly mean-"

"What will happen to the village's-?"

"To do this would be an unprecedented-"

"This is not within the realm of-"

"That's enough," Minato states, and the room quiets in an instant. He hadn't raised his voice, but his tone heavily implied that it would be advisable to let him continue.

"We were fighting in the Third Shinobi War then, and we took liberties that we should have never even considered. The village is at peace now. Children who wish to become shinobi must receive sufficient training and meet a set of comprehensive standards before they are permitted to graduate."

"But, what you're proposing will drastically reduce Konoha's genin forces!"

Minato directs a sharp gaze towards his audience. "We'll also have fewer genin if the village continues to send them outside the village unprepared. We may not be forcing them to fight to the death, but we're no better than the Bloody Mist if we remain on this path. Regardless of talent, skill or experience, children have not finished developing physically or mentally. That puts them at an extreme disadvantage when facing adult shinobi who possess few reservations about exploiting that weakness."

The room stills, everyone now recalling the fates of the Hokage's three students who had all perished on missions gone wrong. Even Kakashi Hatake, the genius who ascended through the ranks at record-breaking speed, had not lived to see the end of the war. How many young shinobi truly had a chance at surviving if the Yondaime's own prodigy wasn't able to?

As if sensing the disquieted contemplation his words have sowed, Minato continues. "More genin moving up the ranks and surviving to adulthood is something that is undeniably conducive to Konoha's growth. I presume that none of you are trying to argue against that."

The Yondaime's face is impassive, the stony expression daring the others to raise an objection.

Jiraiya is well aware that part of what makes Minato so dangerous is how unthreatening he appears at first glance. It's his actions that truly establish how deadly he is. Opponents may consider him to be an unassuming foe, but that's before Minato has effortlessly decimated their forces in a blink of an eye.

As he observes the various expressions of barely concealed astonishment, Jiraiya is fairly confident that this is a lesson that the others are only just beginning to realize now. The Hokage will not be moved. It would be pointless for them to protest any further.

The remainder of the meeting proceeds much more sedately. The following reforms that Minato puts forth for consideration are far less groundbreaking as they were largely proposed in the name of efficiency. They vote to streamline a few standard procedures, update the mission report forms, set aside more funding for the hospital, and amend several proficiency requirements. Discussions take place, clarifications are requested, but no one seems to have any heated complaints.

After the meeting is over, Jiraiya watches everyone else leave before hurrying out himself. He falls into step alongside Minato, the two walking in silence for a few moments.

"You made quite a stir there. What brought this on?"

"Changes need to be made," Minato answers, his voice solemn. "Now is the best time while the mistakes are still fresh in everyone's minds."

"Makes sense," Jiraiya agrees. Now that they've reached the Hokage's office, it seems like the appropriate time to bring up the reason why his former student had requested his presence in the first place.

"So, you think Danzō has been ordering and taking part in illegal activity behind the scenes?"

Minato's face looks even more grave now as he responds. "It's something that I'm growing more and more convinced of. I have nothing substantial, but it's all piling up now. There are rumors about the Root division of Anbu that Danzō heads and too many coincidences that are just a little too convenient for his interests. The only testimony I was able to obtain all originated from individuals who won't be viewed as credible. I do believe he holds far more power as an elder than he's letting on, and I feel that he's intent on amassing more. But there's nothing that actually implicates him, nothing concrete at least."

"We need a rat, that's what you're saying," interprets Jiraiya.

"Yes," Minato admits. "Do you know of one?"

"Can't help you there. But," Jiraiya adds reluctantly, "I might know a snake."

It takes a second for the words' meaning to dawn on his former student. "Orochimaru, you're proposing to bring him into this" clarifies Minato.

"Whatever shadiness is going on in the village, Orochimaru has got to be all over it."

"Alright," Minato finally responds. "Can you arrange a meeting?"

"What just like that?" Jiraiya exclaims, taken for a loop. Still stunned, he continues. "And you're the Hokage anyway, you can go see whoever you want whenever you want."

Minato gives him a look. "Just because I can doesn't mean it would be a good idea. Hokage or not, I'm fairly certain that anyone who dropped in on Orochimaru unannounced would irritate him greatly. As I'm the one requesting his cooperation, I think it would be ill-advised to start off on the wrong foot. Weren't you the one who taught me basic negotiation tactics?"

"Point, point. I'll see what I can do." Jiraiya takes his leave soon after that. He now has arrangements to make after all, and Minato has his own duties as Hokage to attend to.

Still, Jiraiya's surprised at how quickly Minato agreed to involve Orochimaru considering most people try to steer clear of him at all costs. Shinobi respect strength and intelligence, but even they give him a wide berth. "Twisted," "power-hungry," and "inhuman" are some of the words they throw around. Maybe Minato's assent is just a testament to how dire the situation with Danzō is. But as he leaves the building, Jiraiya can't help but think about how the Sannin bear an eerie resemblance to Minato's lost team.

He wonders if his old student sees the parallels too. While not perfect matches, the similarities are still uncanny. Both teams were led by a future Hokage, and both were comprised of a devoted medical nin, an aloof prodigy, and an infatuated kid.

Everyone on his team had survived, but he's not sure he can say that the three of them ended up in a much better place than Minato's kids. It's a shame to die young but growing old and demoralized is hardly pleasant either.

If Rin hadn't been forcibly turned into a weapon, would she have lost faith the same way Tsunade did? Would Kakashi have embraced the darkness like Orochimaru had after the apprehensive whispers around the village proved impossible to drown out? Could Obito have turned out like himself? A valued shinobi at last but ultimately filled with old regrets and disappointments.

Jiraiya quickly shakes himself from his reverie. His personal issues aren't the matter here.

With or without Orochimaru's assistance, they'll hopefully be able to build a solid case against Danzō soon. The longer their investigations take the more dangerous things will become. Either way, Jiraiya hopes that this will all be over soon as he has investigations of his own that need to be continued outside of the village.

After all, the rumors regarding the organization known as Akatsuki have been quite worrying of late.

* * *

**As you probably noticed, none of the other people present for the council were named. Was it because I wanted to emphasize how Minato was so intent on passing the new rules that he didn't even care who objected? Or was it because my internet was slow so I couldn't check to make sure I had the names right? You decide!**

**Anyway, Jiraiya's back, and they're pulling out all the stops in order to close in on Danzō. Let's see if it works**.


	7. Sounds you learned to ignore- Orochimaru

**Orochimaru is approached with an interesting proposal.**

* * *

His buffoon of a teammate is back in the village again. Normally, this would be of no concern to him whatsoever. But Jiraiya is quite adamant about dragging him away from his experiments, even more so than usual. He keeps going on about meeting someone, promising that it won't be a waste of his time.

It's the last thing Orochimaru wants to do. But he knows that if he gives in now, Jiraiya will be less obnoxious later. So even though he suspects it to be for an inane purpose, Orochimaru still finds himself following his former teammate out of the lab. They arrive at one of the village's restaurants, Jiraiya leading him to a private room near the back. Orochimaru notes the various privacy seals affixed to the walls with interest.

_A need for confidentiality then._

Perhaps the evening won't prove to be a complete waste of his time.

He and Jiraiya have waited for less than a minute before the person they are meeting arrives.

To his mild surprise, Minato Namikaze walks in, pointedly not wearing the hat and haori that signifies him as the Yondaime.

"Hokage-sama, to what do I owe this honor?" Orochimaru's face forms something that might almost fit the definitions of a smile, but the expression is more akin to how a predator might twist its mouth in order to bare its teeth at another.

Namikaze sits down, eyes glancing over the room's privacy seals before speaking.

"I'll try not to mince words here, especially because I have a feeling that you wouldn't care for it. I'll ask you this, what keeps you in the village?"

Orochimaru blinks, not anticipating the meeting to begin with such an abrupt question. "Excuse me, Hokage-sama?"

But Namikaze ignores his confusion and presses on. "While shinobi receive payment for the missions we complete, money is far from the main thing that holds us to the village. Otherwise, we'd all be mercenaries running around and fulfilling tasks for the highest bidder. Loyalty, protection, loved ones, and community are some of the most prominent bonds that hold a typical shinobi to one place."

And it is the purpose of a hidden village to provide those attachments so that its forces will remain. I don't believe those factors apply as much to you, however. But you are also far from the typical shinobi. Konoha has much more to gain with you in the village than with you as an enemy. Because of this, an arrangement could be made so that you would remain on the side of Konoha.

So I want to know, what holds you to the village now? Or to be a little more forward-thinking, what would keep you in the village?"

Still processing this unforeseen turn of events, Orochimaru decides to counter with an inquiry of his own rather than provide a direct answer just yet.

"What an… unexpected offer. I presume something specific has brought this proposal on so I must ask, what am I expected to offer in return?"

The Yondaime's stare hardens as he replies, revealing the motivations behind the meeting. "I know Danzō is plotting to take control. I don't intend to rest until I've put an end to it. And I have reason to believe that your cooperation could accelerate the process exponentially. Tell me, am I wrong to assume that you have been an active participant in Danzō's machinations?"

This was turning out to be quite a surprise. He wouldn't have guessed Jiraiya's brat to be so shrewd. Orochimaru was well aware that the current Hokage was widely considered to be a genius, but collective agreement hardly guaranteed an accurate assessment. And geniuses came in a variety of forms nonetheless.

Some are brilliant innovators in their field of expertise, but those also tend to flounder uselessly outside their element. On the other end of the scale, there are the calculating ones who use their cunning to strategically manipulate situations to their advantage. He'd always assumed that Namikaze leaned much closer to the former. Perhaps, his judgment was inaccurate then.

After all, he's been found out far sooner than he would have expected. He might as well hear what the Yondaime has to say.

Namikaze begins outlining the framework of his offer.

"If I'm correct, then you must realize that your actions will be taken as treason. For that, there would be severe repercussions. However, a form of amnesty could be offered in exchange for your assistance. Providing comprehensive records of both your and Danzō's actions would be a substantial start.

You would not necessarily be required to cease all of your experiments. The pursuit of knowledge is crucial in a shinobi village, and applications of your research have the potential to benefit Konoha greatly. Should that be the case, the village could provide you with essential support.

I'll leave you with this as well. If a status of legitimacy were to be established for your experiments, then it's possible that you would still have access to human subjects. The people of Konoha might voluntarily participate in clinical trials if they believed they had something to gain such as payment, positive side effects, or even furthering research that would aid future generations. And more shinobi than you might initially assume are willing to assist for purposes like these. After all, a number of them already donate their bodies to the hospital so they can be used for the training of medical nin.

Still, the decision is ultimately yours."

There is much for Orochimaru to consider here, but little time for contemplation. One option is to refuse the Yondaime's deal, an action that would thereby seal his fate as a traitor to the village. Doing so would prompt Jiraiya and Namikaze to apprehend and sentence him. If he managed to evade the two, it would entail leaving behind his labs and all of his unfinished experiments, forcing him to start from scratch elsewhere.

If Orochimaru agrees, limits will be placed upon his actions, and he will be required to turn his work over to Konoha's authority. He may not be imprisoned, but he'll undoubtedly be subjected to interrogations and investigations into his conduct. He would still lose his research as any experiment deemed as objectionable will be shut down.

Both options would be highly inconvenient. However, Danzō is an individual that he holds no loyalty to. From the moment he allied himself with the elder, Orochimaru was well aware that it would be extremely unwise to place complete trust in him. You were never secure with an individual like him around.

Furthermore, Jiraiya and Namikaze have obviously planned out this encounter well in advance. His old teammate made a strategic decision to not inform him about the true nature of the meeting, reducing his opportunities to prepare a contingency plan. Orochimaru would be stunned if there were not Anbu reinforcements stationed outside the building, waiting to pursue him should he reject the offer. In addition, he wouldn't put it past the two to have trapped the room in the event that he decided to retaliate.

And they _need_ him in order to oust Danzō. Perhaps, it would be wiser to take the setbacks now while he still has leverage. Maybe it is far too soon to burn those bridges just yet, especially when his escape is not guaranteed.

"Very well. I agree."

He could almost taste the relief in the air after he had voiced his assent.

Once Orochimaru was on board, the pieces fell into place easily. With their suspicions, Jiraiya and Namikaze were well on their way to building a case against Danzō. But Orochimaru was the one with all of the hard evidence.

To say that Orochimaru has dirt on Danzō would be a massive understatement. He had everything. Every unlawful experiment, the secret modifications to Danzō's body, the unsanctioned assassinations, and Root. Especially Root, the clandestine unit of Anbu that only answered to the elder. A division that obtained much of its forces through the kidnapping of talented young shinobi, even children from the prominent clans of Konoha. The group that indoctrinated said children to eradicate from themselves all emotions and connections, only leaving room for a sense of blind loyalty to Danzō and the organization.

Still, those illicit details seemed to pale in comparison to Danzō's intentions for the Uchiha clan. The elder's actions of the past few years revealed both a hatred and a sense of twisted fascination with the clan. Those sentiments manifested themselves in his plans to gradually implant more scavenged Sharingan into his own body, the beginnings of the whisper campaign against the clan, and the objective to one day eliminate the clan altogether.

As Orochimaru leaves the building several hours later, several figures emerge from the shadows and fall into step behind him. They are his escort to the Konoha Intelligence Division, where Orochimaru is expected to give a comprehensive report that will be verified by several members of the Yamanaka clan. Among the Anbu is his old sensei, the Sandaime, whose expression displays a mixture of devastation and relief. Orochimaru meets his gaze with a slight nod before setting off.

From there, it was a relatively simple matter of surreptitiously informing Konoha's clan heads and other authority figures of Danzō's nefarious deeds. The clan heads were justifiably incensed that the elder had dared to poach children from their own numbers. The Uchiha were outraged as well by Danzō's actions against them, and the Hyūga shared their fury. Although the two clans quarreled greatly, nothing could bring the two together like the collective hatred of a dōjutsu thief. Likewise, it wasn't long before everyone else was calling for Danzō's blood.

Then, it came time to begin the necessary preparations for Danzō's trial. Well, calling it a trial was a bit generous. A sentencing would be a more apt term given that there was little doubt as to what the outcome would be. Seeing as Danzō was a great deal more powerful than he let on, thanks in part to the transplanted kekkei genkai, precautions had to be taken in the likely event of the elder's retaliation. There was no way in which Danzō could stand against the combined might of Konoha's authority anyway, but it was still desirable to avoid injury and unnecessary property damage.

To limit potential chaos, Namikaze and his Uzumaki wife had developed a chakra restriction seal that was coded directly to Danzō's own signature. Orochimaru had even provided them with samples of Danzō's pilfered kekkei genkai so the two could adjust the seal to account for those chakra signatures as well. The seal, invisible when inactive, was plastered onto every surface of the council room where it would have no effect on the other shinobi present. But if Danzō attempted to use his chakra or strike back in any shape or form, the seal would render him both powerless and motionless.

The day of Danzō's trial began much like any other. The elder had proceeded to the council room, where he had been informed that there would be a meeting addressing several reforms that the Yondaime wished to propose. It's only after he walks in and sees all of Konoha's authority figures assembled there that Danzō realizes he was misled. His misgivings are confirmed when the Hokage begins reciting a list of all the elder's misdeeds.

Danzō's lined face twists in fury, bandages tearing to reveal a Sharingan in his right eye socket and an unnaturally pale arm with even more Sharingan implanted in it. But that's as far as the elder gets before the seals have activated, reducing Danzō to a seething but ultimately ineffective state. Now defenseless, the display only serves to confirm his crimes.

"How dare you! I did everything for Konoha, everything that the rest of you were too spineless to carry out!" Spitting in rage, Danzō's eyes scan the room wildly in a fruitless attempt to find a weak point or a venue of escape. His gaze stops on Orochimaru, who is making no attempt to hide his smirk. It hadn't seemed possible before, but the elder's rage increases tenfold.

"Don't think I'm leaving you out of this!" Danzō snarls, his livid face shooting daggers at the snake Sannin.

Orochimaru snickers. "Please, who do you think told on you?" he shoots back in a voice that drips of vindictive glee. "You're an old relic, one that's grown far too complacent over the years. I had no inclination of letting myself be dragged down by the likes of you."

Danzō has lost all shreds of composure at this point. "You'll drive this village to ruin, all of you! None of you has any right-"

Namikaze cuts his ranting off indifferently, delivering the elder's sentence in a cold voice devoid of sympathy.

"Danzō Shimura, you have committed acts of great treachery towards Konoha. These offenses include conspiracy with an enemy village, unauthorized actions undertaken through the organization known as Root, abduction of Konoha's children, designs to bring harm to the Uchiha clan, and the continual subversion of the village's authority. For your crimes against Konoha, the punishment is death."

On that cue, Fugaku Uchiha rises and approaches with sword in hand. Given that Danzō's transgressions included intentions to sabotage and destroy the Uchiha clan, it had been decided beforehand that its clan head should serve as the executioner. Fugaku eyes the elder with undisguised hatred before plunging the sword into Danzō's chest.

It's quite ironic how a shinobi who plotted, schemed, and pulled so many strings behind closed doors to gain power wasn't even able to notice his own downfall approaching. Danzō's end is swift. It's pathetic, really.

The elder's body sags, sliding off the blade as he collapses lifelessly to the ground. An Anbu medic approaches, confirming his death for the others in the room.

Later, Jiraiya catches up with Orochimaru outside of the council room once the proceedings have concluded.

"What do you plan to do now?"

Orochimaru doesn't answer. He will be under observation for some time now. His movements aren't restricted as of yet, but there will undoubtedly be a team of Anbu assigned to watch his every move. At the moment, all of his studies are suspended as the Hokage has a team pouring through the experiment records.

It's certainly a setback, but it seems mostly worth it to see Danzō fall in such an undignified manner. And the added legitimacy to his studies will not be completely without benefits.

Ignoring his lack of response, Jiraiya continues. "I might stay in the village for a while. I was thinking though-"

"Always a surprise," Orochimaru can't resist cutting in.

Jiraiya pays him absolutely no heed. "Anyway, there are a lot of changes going on in Konoha, and it'll be better if there's more people who can aid in facilitating them. The two of us are here now, maybe it's time we tracked down our third."

"She'll be angry."

"When isn't she?

* * *

**Danzō is dead, and not a moment too soon. He severely underestimated Minato here. Danzō didn't think Minato would be observant enough to catch what was going on nor did he realize the lengths Minato was willing to go in order to take him down.**

**Because Orochimaru helps to get rid of Danzō here, I see him as having a similar arrangement to what he eventually has in the Boruto era.**

**On a side note, Orochimaru is a very interesting character to write. Shinobi by definition don't exactly have the high moral ground, but Orochimaru is several levels off of that. Despite that, I still decided to make this chapter the longest so far.**


	8. But now you must listen- Tsunade

**Tsunade encounters some familiar faces.**

* * *

Even this far away, the rumors have reached her.

Danzō Shimura, respected elder of Konoha, has been tried and executed for treason against the village. This sentencing is apparently part of the Yondaime's ongoing effort to reform Konoha. Supposedly, the Hokage has also cracked down on corruption, funded more research and education, and established a minimum age to become a shinobi.

A younger version of Tsunade would've applauded these changes. Now, she can't help but feel that it's all a waste of time. What's the point? You try and try and try and the world will still find a way to drag you down regardless.

She punctuates that morose thought with another swig of sake from her glass. Shizune gives her a concerned glance out of the corner of her eye. She's always been the responsible one, even at her young age. Shizune is likely worried that Tsunade will spend the entire night here, drink far too much, get drawn into a game of dice, and subsequently lose what meager savings they do have.

Tsunade is about to assure her that she doesn't _intend_ on gambling tonight when she hears a minor disturbance at the door. She cranes her head to identify the subject of the sudden whispering that has filled the bar before she groans inwardly. Making their way through the room are two people she hasn't seen in years, Jiraiya and Orochimaru.

This can't mean anything good.

After a few terse words and a fair bit of glaring, the three of them have relocated to a table at the corner of the room, Tsunade with a refill of sake and Jiraiya holding a drink of his own. Orochimaru just sits there, eyeing her impassively. Tsunade ignores him, hoping this will all be over soon. Although she prefers to have a supportive figure present, she still ended up sending Shizune away. It's been quite a long time since all three of them were in the same place. Things could get very ugly indeed, and she'd like to spare her apprentice from that experience.

And it seems like her predictions are correct because Jiraiya is wearing the same facial expression he always does when he's planning on doing something moronic. Given the situation, she assumes that Jiraiya has enough self-preservation to not hit on her at this moment, so she moves on to the next likely option and guesses that he's about to start yelling at her.

Jiraiya takes a gulp of his shochu and Tsunade braces herself for whatever ridiculous thing he's about to shout at her next.

But it turns out that Orochimaru has a bombshell of his own to drop.

"There is a child with the Mokuton in the village."

Tsunade's glass shatters in her grip while Jiraiya chokes on his drink. Sake spills all over the table's surface, splashing their clothes and faces but they ignore it favor of gaping at Orochimaru. Out of all the possible things that could have been said, that was the last thing either of them had expected.

"And if you want to know more, then you'll have to come back to the village and see for yourself." There is no discernable expression on Orochimaru's absurdly pale face, but Tsunade can feel the smugness rolling off of him.

"Well, I suppose I'll tell you this," Orochimaru allows. "He wasn't born with Mokuton. He gained it as a test subject in one of my experiments."

"And where exactly is he now?" Tsunade demands, her desire to find out more now warring with the impulse to throw him through the adjacent wall.

He sighs dismissively. "I moved him to my main lab. He's been sedated since he wasn't calming down."

"What is actually wrong with you?" she hisses through gritted teeth.

Her old teammate stares back at her, completely unperturbed by her words.

Jiraiya, still sputtering, looks around for something to wipe his face on. Tsunade and Orochimaru both ignore him in favor of continuing their argument.

"He appeared to be quite traumatized." Orochimaru comments, either not realizing or not caring that every additional detail he provides only serves to make the whole situation seem so much worse.

"And whose fault is that?" she retorts, resisting the overwhelming urge to throttle him.

"Well, what can I do now? I have a realistic enough view of my abilities to know that his rehabilitation should not be left to me."

"And you're saying that I should be that person?"

"It doesn't have to be you. I'm merely pointing out that your presence could be a positive element for his recovery."

"At least tell me his name!" At this point, she is on the verge of fully losing her temper.

"I don't actually happen to know," Orochimaru responds in a tone that is far too nonchalant for the subject matter. "The children were collected for me, so I didn't see a need to concern myself with where they came from. If it bothers you so much, I can probably see if there are any records remaining."

Jiraiya speaks up at last, cutting off Tsunade's disbelieving squawk.

"You know, Minato lost all of his students in the war. And when you become a sensei, those children can often feel like your children. Minato loved those kids, so that pain is something he's going to carry with him for his entire life. He's told me this. But even if he hadn't, I can still tell how he doesn't go a day without wishing they were all still here and blaming himself because they're not.

Minato is still hurting, but he's trying to make the world the place he would've wanted his students to live in. I assume you've heard some of the news about what he's doing. It's going to be tough, but I think this will be his way of healing even if he doesn't realize it yet. He just needs time because he's already got people around him who care. You've said being the Hokage is a fool's job, but I can't think of anyone who's further from that. I honestly couldn't be prouder of him.

As for you, I just think that you might not be getting what you need when you're out here on your own."

Tsunade looks down at the broken shards of her glass on the table. Maybe it's a testament to just how much Orochimaru's pronouncement threw her off, but Jiraiya's words are actually having an effect on her. Maybe he's right. Maybe she has been running away from her problems for too long. Maybe she is tired of being out here.

"See how well that went?" Jiraiya hisses at Orochimaru. "You should've let me start us off. Why did you jump in?" Jiraiya looks slightly sheepish under the irritation though, and it seems like he had originally intended to begin the conversation by shouting all this at her instead.

Orochimaru appears to have come to the same conclusion, given how unimpressed he looks. "I predicted that Tsunade would be less likely to react violently if she heard shocking news first. I also felt that appealing to her sense of concern for others would be a fairly reliable method of keeping her attention. Provided of course that she was sober enough."

"Wait, were you making everything up about the kid with the Mokuton?" Tsunade cuts in incredulously.

"No, that part was mostly true. With Danzō's aid, I administered an experiment that had the aim of producing individuals capable of using your grandfather's kekkei genkai. I had initially assumed that all the test subjects had perished. But due to the current audit on my recent activities, I discovered that there was a single survivor. The child is actually conscious and residing at Konoha's hospital right now while a number of professionals attend to him. Still, your input would still be extremely valuable, especially when he starts learning how to use the Mokuton in a few years' time."

Tsunade very badly wants to point out that there are still so many things wrong with what he's said, but she has a feeling that the words would be wasted on Orochimaru. Also, she's trying to figure out how she truly feels about the idea of returning to Konoha. The village is a reminder of all that she's lost, but she can hardly say that she's happy out here either.

As she ponders, Jiraiya very reasonably decides to ignore Orochimaru before continuing.

"No one's calling you back as a shinobi. We just want you to come back first, no strings attached. Sensei's retired now, and everyone seems pretty happy with how Minato is running things. No one is going to force you to take on any responsibilities you don't want. You can always find something to do if you happen to get bored, like shouting at the hospital administrators for fun."

"They really have let things go there," Orochimaru pipes in. "Even if you aren't interested in screeching at people for their incompetence anymore, I could always use your feedback on managing Konoha's research facility."

Tsunade is barely listening to her former teammates now, too engrossed in her thoughts. There's a voice inside her head pointing out that if Jiraiya's student can weather and survive the pain, then maybe she can overcome hers as well. At the same time, she can feel the sensations of dread and what she thinks might be hope beginning to stir inside of her.

_Just for a little while then._

Tsunade can hardly believe she's doing this.

After all these years, she's actually going to come back.

* * *

**I think this chapter may have turned into crack just a little bit. I blame Orochimaru for deciding that shock value was the best way to convince Tsunade to return. I don't know why he decided to be so weird. Either way, she's decided to come back thanks to their combined efforts.**


	9. Numbering minutes- Rin and Kakashi

**A look back with the ones departed.**

* * *

In the Pure Land, Rin still wishes things had gone differently. She's not angry about her death, though she never expected to die so young. At the same time though, she was never guaranteed a long life in the first place.

She was a kunoichi during a time of war, and a medic at that. The latter fact alone had the potential to put a huge target on her back. If Rin's enemies realized that she was a medical nin, they could focus their attentions on her, rending her unable to heal her allies. Or they might aim to capture Rin and force her to treat their own shinobi instead.

So while Rin certainly would've liked to live longer, she's not exactly shocked that she ended up as a casualty of war. What she truly regrets are the events that had led up to her death.

She had never wanted to drag Kakashi down with her. Rin was supposed to die there with the Three Tails, keeping Konoha safe from its wrath. With the seal's influence preventing her from raising a hand against herself and Kakashi refusing to kill her, standing in front of his Chidori seemed to be the most reliable method of ending her life. It was a lethal jutsu that approached with incredible speed, a jutsu that Kakashi wouldn't be able to terminate even after realizing she was in the line of fire.

Standing in the way of his killing blow was going to be both her sacrifice and her last act of selfishness. If she was going to lay down her life for Konoha, then she wanted her death to come at the hands of the person she cared so deeply for. But it was clear that she had underestimated the tailed beast, failing to account for its rage and its will to survive. And so her plan backfired. Instead of saving Kakashi, he was laying there, dying next to her, all because of her.

In that moment, she had felt true regret. It was the intense remorse of bringing about the death of the only person she wanted to save and profound guilt over her intentions to place the burden of her death on Kakashi. Because even as he bled out from the fatal wounds inflicted by the Three Tails, Kakashi had looked impossibly relieved that he hadn't been the one to kill her.

Still, it had surprised her then to hear comforting words from him. How often do the dying seek to soothe the one who is responsible? Rin had been grateful to hear that Kakashi didn't blame her, even though she knew it was possible that he was only saying it to alleviate her worries during their last moments.

When she saw him again in the Pure Land, it was apparent that Kakashi bore her no ill will whatsoever. In fact, she noticed that her teammate seemed relaxed in a way that she'd never seen him before. Kakashi had immediately brushed off her apologies, and Rin was struck by how he acted so much more freely now. While Kakashi admitted to her that he never expected to be in the Pure Land so soon, he also stated that he had no complaints about being able to see his father again.

And she understood. Kakashi had never spoken of his father, but she could tell that there was a painful history there. Rin had wanted to ask more, but she resisted the urge. There would be time for that later. They had nothing but time now.

Rin had also been eager to see Obito again, to be with her dear friend who was the first of them to go. After all, the idea of rejoining Obito was one of the few thoughts that were able to keep her from despair before her death. But now she exchanges an anxious glance with Kakashi. He frowns in unease, the first negative expression that she's seen him wear here.

Because something is wrong.

They should've seen Obito already, and the fact that they haven't worries her immensely. Rin tells herself that he might simply be somewhere else in the Pure Land, but she has a feeling that they won't be finding him here.

_Where is he?_

Kakashi had found the reunion with his father to be a rather bittersweet experience. He'd closed his eyes in Kiri, lying on the blood-drenched stones in the clearing. And eventually, he had regained consciousness in another dimly lit area.

A single flickering campfire had been the only source of light in the pure darkness surrounding him. And in front of that fire sat the silhouette of a man with his back to him. It was difficult to make out any discerning features, but Kakashi knew that it was his father waiting there for him. He wouldn't have expected anyone else to be there.

He had steeled himself briefly before approaching the man he denounced, blamed, missed, _loved_.

His father had called out to him in a peaceful voice as Kakashi drew closer. Then his relaxed features morphed swiftly into dismayed shock upon seeing Kakashi, no doubt horrified at how early his son ending up joining him in death.

From there, Kakashi had spent some time trying to assuage his father's guilt over leaving him at such an early age. In his eyes, Kakashi's demise was his fault as he hadn't been there to look after his son.

Accordingly, Kakashi had assured his father that he was not to blame, his death was simply the outcome of his actions. He'd refused to abandon his and Obito's objective to protect Rin and still held no regret whatsoever for that decision.

His father's expression of despair had lessened somewhat at that, but Kakashi could still see just how much his young age troubles him. And he could understand the reasons why. In his father's eyes, taking his own life was a way to absolve himself from his own transgressions and free his son from the burden of his disgrace. Kakashi was supposed to grow and thrive as an outstanding shinobi from then on. Only Kakashi hadn't even survived a decade past his death, a reality that forced his father to reevaluate the rationale behind his actions back then.

Sitting in front of the crackling fire, Kakashi had also found himself reconsidering the sentiments he'd held onto for so long. For years, he hadn't known how he should feel about his father. The love Kakashi naturally possessed for his parent, the reproach he learned from the village, and the sense of betrayal he suffered after his father's suicide had all warred with each other in a disordered mess inside of him.

Now, Kakashi can comprehend his father's pain and struggle. He knows that the agony of losing a teammate is far worse than any failed mission. He recognizes that the village was wrong to shun his father the way it had. He realizes the suffering his father experienced through it all and ultimately forgives him for what he did. Kakashi had told his father all this and was rewarded with a smile that was finally free from sorrow.

Nevertheless, their troubles are not all over as he and Rin have stumbled across a rather disquieting revelation.

Obito is nowhere to be found.

He should be here though. There's no reason why he shouldn't be considering that Obito was the first one of their team to perish. He had died underneath the rocks, back during their mission to Kannabi Bridge. But if that were true, then Obito should be in the Pure Land with Rin and him.

_Why isn't he here?_

* * *

**Following this chapter, there will be a time skip where we'll see the impact of all these changes.**


	10. Accusations of the clock- Years later

**Seventeen years later.**

* * *

It's been close to two decades after the end of the Third Shinobi War.

Peace suits Konoha well.

Minato is proud to note that the village's shinobi force is thriving, thanks to the minimum graduation age requirement and comprehensive proficiency standards. Although the controversial new rules naturally reduced the number of students eligible to become genin after the war, those who did were far more skilled and capable than any other graduating class before them.

The genin mortality rate had dropped significantly as a result, and the total number of shinobi began to swell dramatically after a few years. In addition, larger percentages of genin were then being promoted to the rank of chūnin and jōnin. The village's forces were larger and better trained than ever before. The people of Konoha were living better lives now, and it wasn't just from the absence of war.

Public sentiment in the village had also risen dramatically after the return of the Sannin, who had all brought with them significant improvements to Konoha.

Tsunade had initially claimed that she would only remain in Konoha for a week or so at first, just enough time to reconnect with the Sandaime and begin reacclimatizing herself to the village. It had only been four days before she had flown into a rage at the state of Konoha's medical facilities. Afterwards, it had been difficult to get her away from the hospital where she subsequently called for increased training of medical nin, developed more accurate screening methods, and engineered higher precision techniques for treatment. In a fairly short amount of time, she had ushered in a new age of medical standards with the assistance of Orochimaru.

While Minato had been disconcerted at how many of Orochimaru's experiments centered around the pursuit of immortality, he was forced to concede that there could be useful applications there. He certainly couldn't say that exploring methods of living longer wasn't a potentially valuable line of study for a shinobi to explore Those with their occupation tended to have comparatively short lifespans after all. Currently, Orochimaru was studying mechanisms that might allow a shinobi to survive situations or injuries that would typically be fatal. If he found success, it could greatly increase the survival rate of missions that carried an exceptionally high level of risk.

As for Jiraiya, he had remained in the village for the longest he'd been since before the war. He aided Minato greatly in the restructuring that followed Danzō's execution, weeding out those who remained loyal to the elder while arranging the rehabilitation of the shinobi who were a part of Root. He had also provided assistance in the implementation of the numerous reforms taking place in Konoha, helping oversee all of the changes they brought.

Although, certain things haven't changed throughout the years.

For one, Minato and Kushina have remained childless, a detail that has provided ample fuel for the village gossip mills. While there were a few rumors tossed about, the general consensus was that it was still quite unusual for a Hokage who had held the position for so long to not start a family.

But Minato has his own reasons. Over the years, he's been able to come to term with his mistakes of the past. He knows now, thanks in part to the thoughtful people around him, that he couldn't keep blaming himself for his students' deaths.

The Third Shinobi War was a dangerous time. He'd had to use his best judgment as a sensei then, and there were just some circumstances that no one could've foreseen. Still, being the sole survivor of his team is not something that ever gets easier. And the grief of losing Obito, Rin, and Kakashi is a feeling that will never leave him.

So this, this is his atonement. Maybe if he hadn't made the decisions he had back then, his students would have lived to see peace. Maybe they could have made it to adulthood. Maybe they would be having children of their own by now.

Minato aches for Kushina, because he knows just how much she wanted a family. But she still smiles at him kindly, telling him that she understands. Even so, he can see the longing in her eyes every single time she sees Mikoto Uchiha's children.

Due to Kushina's close friendship with Mikoto, she and Minato have watched the Uchiha clan heirs grow up. The two have seen Itachi and Sasuke grow as infants, as children, as Academy students, and then as genin who progressed swiftly through the ranks.

Kushina could've had those experiences for herself, and Minato truly doesn't deserve to have someone like her in his life. Yet she's stayed by his side all these years. For that alone he is content, or at least reasonably close to that feeling.

Even so, there are still a few concerning events taking place outside of Konoha.

Most prominently, the tailed beasts have been disappearing one by one. At first, there were theories that the jinchūriki were simply disgruntled with their village's treatment of them and fled. But once the fourth one had vanished without a trace, the hidden villages were forced to confront the fact that something much more sinister may be going on.

So far, the signs indicated the responsible party as Akatsuki, of who reports suggested was an organization made up of S-rank missing nin that provided their services to all. Unfortunately, verified information about any of this was few and far between. Hidden villages were especially averse to letting word out should they find themselves lacking their tailed beast. And it was difficult to tell which villages still had their jinchūriki as no leader was particularly eager to publicize any absences. Now, there were whispers that the Eight Tails had gone missing as well, but Kumo had refused to confirm or deny the rumors. If those speculations were true, then Konoha could very well be the only village still in possession of its jinchūriki.

Naturally, Konoha's council had come to the agreement that it was wise for Kushina to remain in the village for the time being. Kushina bristled at the confinement although she understood and agreed with its purpose. The first few jinchūriki had vanished on missions outside their respective villages after all.

Jiraiya had left the village in an attempt to investigate the Akatsuki himself. However, no one had seen word from him in months. This period of silence was hardly unusual in its length, but Minato had a bad feeling about it nonetheless.

Aside from those worrying issues, things seemed to be going well.

But that was before the Akatsuki descended upon Konoha.

All of the precautions, border patrols, guards, the teleportation points Minato had scattered liberally throughout the village, proved useless against this type of foe. Their enemy had chosen multiple points of attack, catching Konoha completely at unawares.

Even now, they barely have any information about their invaders. It seems that anyone who might've been able to raise the alarm or bring back intelligence is already dead.

Shinobi are well known for performing impossible feats, but a number of their attackers apparently feature bizarre and lethal abilities that Minato has never heard of before. One is said to manipulate gravity itself, attracting and repelling people and objects at will. Another is able to effortlessly tear a person's soul from their body, and a multi-faced, multi-armed entity is capable of unleashing missiles and blades from said arms. Meanwhile, massive beasts including a rhinoceros, chameleon, centipede, and a dog with multiple heads tear mercilessly through the village. There seems to be no other goal than absolute destruction.

It's all they can do to repeatedly regroup and scatter in order to avoid getting crushed under the assault. Minato has summoned as many toads as he can reasonably muster, Gamabunta leading the charge against the rampaging creatures while the others frantically bring him back reports. The people of Konoha are fighting back with all their might, but they are falling fast.

Tsunade is still alive, but she had collapsed into unconsciousness from the sheer exertion of healing so many. Over a third of their forces are still breathing as a result of her and Katsuyu's efforts. Minato isn't sure if she'll wake up soon. Or ever again.

Orochimaru had remained near her side and appeared to be holding his own against the onslaught. However, he'd vanished not long ago under the pile of rubble that used to be the Academy building. Whether the Sannin is incapacitated, dead, or lying low to lull their enemies into complacency, Minato doesn't know. Orochimaru's various snake summons are now dispersing one by one, which doesn't seem to bode well for his fate.

As for Jiraiya, Minato suspects with a distinct pang of sorrow that his former sensei won't ever be coming back to Konoha.

A soft voice speaks up from behind him. "They're here for me aren't they?"

Minato whirls around in surprise, finding himself face to face with Kushina whose expression is filled with grim resolve. She gazes out over his shoulder, and Minato can see the devastation of the village reflected in her eyes.

Immediately, he feels desperation and dread churning in his chest. "No, please don't go, please don't leave me," the words all but spill from his mouth.

"I know, I know," she says, placing her hands gently on either side of his face. "I love you more than anything else, but there's something that I've always had to keep in mind too.

You're not just my husband, you're the Hokage of the village. And I'm not just your wife, I'm the jinchūriki of the Nine Tails and a loyal shinobi of Konoha. I have to do this. People are dying, and this may be the only thing that can stop it."

She kisses his forehead. "I'll be back, I promise. If they want the Nine Tails, I'll show them the Nine Tails. They're not going to take me down."

With that, Kushina charges off to the center of the fray. Minato watches her vibrant red hair fade in the distance, trying to ignore the sense of impending doom settling in his stomach.

He'll see her again. She said she'll come back, she promised.

_But why does this feel like the last time?_

That's when Minato realizes that there's something he can do. Very few are aware of this, but he knows how to perform the Reaper Death Seal. If he can identify the leader of Akatsuki, the one pulling all the strings, then Minato can seal their soul away at the cost of his own. And he'll do it, he'll lay his life down. He's prepared to summon the Shinigami if that means Konoha can be saved.

But at that moment, a crushing force obliterates the ground underneath him, tearing fissures into the surface which then rapidly crumbles into dust. The world seems to tilt sideways, everything around him splintering and shattering into pieces.

In his last moments of awareness, Minato sees his village fall before him.

* * *

**I'm sorry.**


	11. The useless insight- Aftermath

**Everything falls into place.**

* * *

The world is sleeping now.

The Eye of the Moon Plan has finally come to fruition. The entire world is caught in the Infinite Tsukuyomi, the glow of the moon casting bright rays of light over all.

There is no more pain, no more suffering.

Despite the long-lasting and convoluted process he underwent, Obito almost felt as though there should have been more obstacles through it all. He had certainly faced no shortage of formidable opponents throughout the years, but everything seemed to fall into place anyway. They had all fallen in the end.

By the time the Nine Tails was extracted, the once powerful village of Konoha had been reduced to a massive crater filled with pulverized rubble. After receiving news of Konoha's fate, the remaining hidden villages had haphazardly mobilized their forces in a fruitless attempt to save themselves.

The Fourth Shinobi War was what they had called their efforts. In Obito's opinion, that was far too generous of a term. War implied armed force, a battle between multiple interests. The villages had named the hasty union the Allied Shinobi Forces and desperately threw their troops at the Akatsuki, hoping in vain to gain a foothold. What ensued was closer in nature to a series of massacres than an actual conflict, the Akatsuki easily trouncing their efforts time and time again.

Nagato had considered himself so close to realizing his plan for peace then, it was just on the horizon. But Obito was simply biding his time until the moon was in position, and none of the others ever saw it coming.

Although, Zetsu's betrayal had been surprising in that Obito hadn't known exactly when, how, or why it would occur, but it ultimately wasn't unexpected in the slightest.

Right after the genjutsu was cast, Black Zetsu had attempted to do… something.

It appeared as though the entity was aiming to take control of Obito or perhaps even assimilate itself into his body. But it hardly mattered as it barely had the chance to try. Obito hadn't gotten this far by being careless. He achieved what he had through meticulous planning and vigilance. Complacency only invited failure after all.

Obito doesn't know what exactly Zetsu's end goal was, but he doesn't particularly care. It should have known better than to treat him as a mindless pawn. All those years Zetsu had watched him grow exponentially in strength and power. Had it been foolish enough to believe that Obito was incapable of acting against it? All the same, he'd activated his Mangekyō the second he sensed malicious intent from Zetsu. It's downfall was underestimating a shinobi with the ability to manipulate both space and time at will. Kamui grants Obito access to far more than one dimension, and these domains are only accessible through his eye.

Both Black and White Zetsu are gone, trapped in some far off realm that they will never find their way out of. Now, Obito is the one in control.

He may have believed in the Eye of the Moon Plan, but Obito never actually trusted in Madara himself. While he had carried out his orders diligently, the ancient and disgraced clan leader never actually had any place in Obito's own plans.

Because all of this was for them. Rin and Kakashi, Obito's fallen teammates. He would have torn the world apart for them. He _did_ tear the world apart for them.

Yet he still feels… hollow. He is the only one in the world still awake, and he's never felt more alone.

Obito had thought that the absence of pain would be peace, but maybe the actuality is only a sense of blankness.

_Why does he still feel this way?_

The Kakashi and Rin he sees in his visions are only pale imitations and insubstantial copies of the real thing. The Infinite Tsukuyomi creates perfect dreams, but Obito knows better. No matter how many times he witnesses the illusionary versions of his friends happy and well, the memories of their dead bodies are always present at the back of his mind.

Obito still sees them every single time he closes his eyes, Kakashi's blood-soaked form and Rin's lifeless body lying there on the ground. Even if his Sharingan hadn't been permanently recording every single detail in perfect clarity, he would've never been able to cast those images from his mind. Maybe it's this piece of information, the knowledge of their brutal deaths that prevents himself from fully accepting the dream replicas as his former teammates.

Meanwhile, the rest of the world is caught at a standstill in the overwhelming genjutsu. Everyone had gone motionless at first, the concentric rings of the Rinnegan reflected in their unseeing eyes. Then the roots of the tree had slithered outwards, wrapping its tendrils around their oblivious forms and encasing them from head to toe. All of them uncaring, too lost in their own perfect visions.

He stares at the dreaming figures and can't help himself from feeling a bitter sense of envy. _Why do they get to feel peace?_

There is a possible solution to his predicament, however.

At this point, Obito has truly everything at his disposal. He'd pilfered one of Nagato's Rinnegan shortly before casting the Infinite Tsukuyomi, implanting the dōjutsu into his empty left eye socket. Obito does possess the power to fully revive both of his former teammates, ensuring that their true selves could join him in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. From there, they could live out their days together in the perfect dream world. Maybe that would be able to fill the gaping hole in his heart. Still, Obito can't bring himself to do it.

He doesn't think he has it in him to face them.

Because if he brings back the Rin and Kakashi who died back during the Third Shinobi War, they would have realized long ago that Obito was still living.

If the two of them searched for him at all in the Pure Land, they'll know that he isn't there. And if they've been watching him all this time, if they've seen what he's done…

_They would hate him._

* * *

**Thank you for reading!**


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